“Chiya Yorune’s Secret”

Chapter 2

A Small Conversation

The first class started like any other day.

The math teacher wrote a long formula across the blackboard, the scratching sound of chalk filling the classroom.

A very… normal morning.

But there was one thing that felt different.

I glanced to the side.

Chiya Yorune was sitting with her back perfectly straight.

Too straight, actually.

Her hands were neatly placed on the desk, her notebook already open, and she was holding her pencil like someone about to take a very important exam.

Even though this was only the first class of the day.

She barely moved at all.

“...”

I tried to focus back on the board.

But for some reason, I kept being aware of her sitting next to me.

The teacher began explaining the practice problem.

“Alright, try solving number three.”

The sound of books opening echoed throughout the classroom.

I looked down at the question.

It wasn’t that difficult.

A few minutes later, I finished.

Without really thinking, I glanced to the side again.

Chiya was still staring at her notebook.

But…

She hadn’t written anything yet.

Her pencil was hovering above the page.

Like she was hesitating.

After waiting a few seconds, I finally spoke quietly.

“…Do you need help?”

Chiya flinched slightly.

Her shoulders lifted a bit.

“A-ah—”

She briefly turned toward me.

Then quickly looked back at her notebook.

“N-no…”

Her voice was barely louder than a whisper.

I pointed at the question in her book.

“This one just needs you to move the variable.”

I wrote a small example on a scrap piece of paper.

For a moment, I could feel her watching.

“…I see.”

She nodded faintly.

“Then…”

Her pencil finally began to move.

A few seconds later, the answer was finished.

Chiya looked at it for a moment before speaking very softly.

“…thank you.”

I gave a small nod.

“No problem.”

The whole exchange only lasted a few seconds.

But strangely—

Chiya looked like she had just gone through something extremely stressful.

She was still gripping her pencil a little tightly.

“...”

Is she really that nervous?

The next classes went by normally.

But one thing started becoming clear.

Chiya avoided conversations.

Not because she was arrogant.

More like…

She was afraid of talking too long.

When Miyako tried chatting with her during the class break—

“So where did you transfer from?”

Chiya suddenly looked panicked.

“…f-from…”

She stopped.

A few seconds passed.

Then she lowered her head.

“…sorry.”

Miyako blinked in confusion.

“Huh? Why are you apologizing?”

But Chiya didn’t continue.

Luckily, Miyako wasn’t the kind of person who dwelled on small things.

“Ah, whatever! You can tell us later!”

She laughed lightly before returning to her seat.

Behind us—

Kohane Miu was watching quietly while holding a small thermos.

“She looks very nervous.”

“Yeah,” I replied softly.

Miu smiled gently.

“I hope she gets used to things soon.”

A few hours passed.

The class felt more relaxed once the lesson turned into light group work.

I was writing some notes when—

“Ryusei.”

Miyako’s voice came from behind us.

She leaned against our desk.

“I’m hungry.”

“…That’s not my problem.”

“Let’s go to the cafeteria later.”

“Wait for lunch break.”

Miyako huffed.

Meanwhile, Chiya stayed quiet.

But I noticed something.

She looked like she was trying very hard to stay calm.

Whenever someone spoke too close to her—

Her shoulders tensed slightly.

Her hand gripped the edge of the desk.

Like she was holding something back.

“...”

I tilted my head a little.

“Still nervous?”

Chiya immediately turned toward me.

“A-ah—”

She looked like she didn’t know how to answer.

For a moment, her eyes met mine.

Then—

She quickly lowered her gaze again.

“…sorry.”

“….”

Why does she apologize so much?

I let out a small sigh.

“That’s not what I meant.”

I lightly tapped the desk.

“You don’t have to be that nervous.”

A few seconds passed.

Chiya didn’t respond.

But after a while—

She spoke very softly.

“…I…”

Her sentence stopped halfway.

Her hand clenched slightly.

Then she shook her head.

“…it’s nothing.”

And she fell silent again.

Like someone who almost said something…

but held it back.

I didn’t push her.

But now I was more certain than before.

She was hiding something.

And for some reason—

That feeling kept getting stronger every time I was near her.

Outside the classroom window—

A cat walked casually along the school fence.

And for a split second—

Chiya glanced in that direction.

I couldn’t see her face clearly.

But I was sure of one thing.

The expression on her face at that moment…

was not the expression of a shy girl.